Cabinet Condemns Attempted Houthi Drone Attack on Mecca - Sarmad

(KUNA) – The Cabinet held its meeting today, Wednesday, September 16, 2026, presided over by His Excellency the Acting Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, Sheikh Fahad Youssef Al-Saud Al-Sabah. Following the meeting, His Excellency the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs, Shari’ah Abdullah Al-Muwasharji, issued the following statement:

At the outset of its meeting, the Cabinet was informed of the names of the official delegation accompanying His Highness the Crown Prince, Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, in his official visit to the friendly United States of America (New York), where he will lead the Kuwaiti delegation participating in the high-level week of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly, from September 19–26, 2026. The delegation includes His Excellency the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sheikh Jarrah Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah; His Excellency the Director General of the Direct Investment Promotion Authority, Dr. Meshal Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah; the Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs for International Organizations, Ambassador Sadiq Muhammad Ma’arifi; the Kuwaiti Ambassador to the United States of America, Sheikha Al-Zain Sabah Al-Nasser Al-Sabah; the Permanent Representative of Kuwait to the United Nations in New York, Ambassador Tariq Muhammad Al-Bunai; and several officials from the Diwan of the Crown Prince and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

On another note, the Cabinet expressed its strong condemnation and rejection of the attempt to target the holy city of Mecca with a drone launched by the Houthi militia. It emphasized that this cowardly and despicable act constitutes a violation of the sanctity of the Qibla of Muslims, a disregard for its religious significance, and an affront to the feelings of Muslims. The Cabinet reaffirmed Kuwait’s absolute solidarity with the brotherly Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and its support for all measures taken to safeguard its sovereignty, security, and the sanctity of the Two Holy Mosques. It commended the vigilance and competence of the Saudi Royal Air Defense Forces in thwarting this attempt, stressing that the security of the Kingdom is an integral part of the security of Kuwait and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries.

In the same context, the Cabinet expressed its strong condemnation and rejection of the Houthi militia’s attacks on civilians and civilian targets in the Saudi cities of Khamis Mushait, Abha, and Taif using ballistic missiles and drones last Tuesday, which resulted in injuries to several civilians and material damage to residential homes and vehicles. This constitutes a blatant violation of the Kingdom’s sovereignty and a breach of international law and international humanitarian law. The Cabinet reaffirmed Kuwait’s absolute solidarity with the brotherly Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, its standing by its side, and its support for all measures taken to safeguard its sovereignty, security, stability, and interests, as well as to protect its people and residents. It stressed that the security of the Kingdom is an integral part of the security of Kuwait and the GCC countries.

The Cabinet also expressed its strong condemnation and rejection of the targeting of the East-West pipeline in the Riyadh and Medina regions of the sisterly Kingdom of Saudi Arabia by several drones launched from Iraqi territory last Saturday, which resulted in human casualties and material damage. This constitutes a blatant violation of the Kingdom’s sovereignty, a breach of international law and international humanitarian law, and a threat to energy supply security. The Cabinet emphasized that these attacks represent a serious escalation that could undermine the security and stability of the region, stressing the importance of the Iraqi government taking necessary measures to ensure its territory is not used as a launching pad for such attacks, and to stop and prevent their recurrence. It reiterated Kuwait’s absolute solidarity with the sisterly Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, its standing by its side, and its support for all measures taken to safeguard its sovereignty, security, stability, and interests.

On another note, the Cabinet was briefed on the political and diplomatic efforts undertaken by His Excellency the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Sheikh Jaraah Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Kuwait’s diplomatic missions abroad to keep pace with the latest developments in the regional and international arenas.

In a separate development, the Cabinet reviewed a visual presentation delivered by His Excellency the Minister of State for Communications and Information Technology Affairs and the Acting Minister of Media and Culture, Omar Saud Al-Omar, regarding the Unified Government Application for Electronic Services (Sahel) during the period from January 1, 2026, to August 31, 2026. The presentation included various statistics concerning the Sahel application, as well as the digital journeys launched through the app to facilitate electronic linkage of services and expand integration among government entities, thereby enhancing performance efficiency, simplifying procedures, serving citizens and residents, and accelerating the processing of transactions.

On another note, the Cabinet approved a draft decree-law issuing the Arbitration Law, given that arbitration is a fundamental pillar of effective justice and a cornerstone of trust in the business environment, owing to its speed in resolving disputes, specialization in adjudication, and flexibility in procedures.

The aforementioned draft decree-law was prepared as a comprehensive, independent legislation on arbitration that draws upon the most stable international systems and practices, while simultaneously preserving the distinctiveness of Kuwait’s legal system and its established procedural terminology. It strikes a precise balance between the principle of party autonomy, which is the essence of arbitration, and the constraints of public order, which underpin state sovereignty.

The aforementioned draft decree-law establishes a unified framework that reconciles the authenticity of Kuwait’s legal system with the latest developments in comparative arbitration systems. It lays the foundation for an integrated national arbitration system that saves time through fixed deadlines and simplified procedural orders, safeguarding public funds through strict controls for arbitrating contracts of state entities. It also provides arbitrators with limited liability and investors with restricted grounds for appeal, ensuring swift resolution.

The Cabinet referred the draft decree-law issuing the Arbitration Law to His Highness the Amir of Kuwait, Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, may God protect and guard him.

The Cabinet reviewed a number of items on the agenda, as well as reports and minutes of ministerial committees, and decided to approve them. It also decided to refer several items to the relevant ministerial committees for study and to submit appropriate recommendations regarding them to complete the procedures for their implementation.